CBS Sports and TNT Sports are beginning to merge under Skydance. However, the combined division will reportedly shed jobs and sports rights along the way.
What We Know: Skydance has promised investors roughly $6 billion in synergies from combining Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. Meanwhile, CBS Sports president David Berson will lead the new sports entity. According to Puck’s John Ourand, the NFL, March Madness, UFC, and the Masters remain untouchable. In contrast, TNT’s post-NBA deals for the College Football Playoff, Big 12, and French Open could face cuts. One top sports executive telling Ourand that the assuming is the merger could be a “bloodbath” with more sports rights than the newly merged company needs.
What’s At Stake: Under Skydance, nearly every major sports property has tentacles with the new company minus the NBA. Meaning several rights could be up for grabs by other networks meaning less overhead needed. There’s also been some rumblings that executives are looking into the possibility of some TNT Sports properties navigating ways to simulcast on CBS Sports for added reach. This would be beneficial for larger properties including the licensed games for the college football playoff.
What Remains Unclear: Specifically, the timeline for layoffs and rights exits remains uncertain. One executive told Ourand the final entity should take shape within the next month or two. Additionally, TNT’s MLB and NHL packages, worth over $700 million annually, could face scrutiny before expiring in 2028.
What It Means: Ultimately, Skydance’s sports division will cut costs through layoffs and selective rights exits. Ourand notes the company may not wait for deals to expire, citing Fox’s 2020 USGA exit as precedent. Still, the new entity wants growth, too. For instance, one senior media executive floated an aggressive U.K. Premier League bid to boost Paramount+ internationally.
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